The world summit on food security officially opened in Rome, Italy, on Monday with a call for decisive action for the total eradication of hunger in the world.

President Rupiah Banda is among world leaders attending the meeting being held at the Food and Agricultural Organisation -FAO- headquarters in Rome.

President Banda is accompanied by First Lady Thandiwe, Agriculture minister Dr Brian Chituwo and other senior government officials.

The President who arrived in Rome on Sunday is among heads of state and government scheduled to address the summit.

On Sunday, President Banda participated in a pre-summit consultative meeting on rural development.

The meeting was also attended by Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, and Brazilian leader Lula de Silva.
[ZNBC]

VICE-PRESIDENT George Kunda has accused United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema of auctioning his party to the Patriotic Front (PF).

Mr Kunda said Mr Hichilema has made a political mistake to join forces with PF president Michael Sata, whom he described as unpredictable and untrustworthy.

He said soon after arriving in Monze yesterday that Mr Hichilema has managed to divide the UPND because his ambitions of becoming the country’s President have melted into the pact with the PF.

“The UPND has cracked in Southern Province with Mr Hichilema’s desire to offload his party to the Patriotic Front. My brother Mr Hichilema has made a political fatal mistake for auctioning his party to the PF. Mr Sata will dump Mr Hichilema as soon as he achieves his ambitions,” Mr Kunda said.

He said some UPND members of Parliament have been conferring with the MMD on the future of their party and urged them to join the ruling party.

Mr Kunda said it is shameful for Mr Hichilema to enter into a pact with Mr Sata without the blessings of the majority of his party members.

He said Government is currently implementing a lot of development programmes in Southern Province and that those MPs who are genuine in the province have been commending Government.

Mr Kunda said while the UPND MPs are looking for development in the province, Mr Hichilema has been busy campaigning for Mr Sata in North-Western Province.

He said it is sad that Mr Hichilema, who is an economist, failed to read the motive of Mr Sata’s manoeuvres to use him for his political mileage.

Mr Kunda said he is in Southern Province to physically interact with the grassroots because that is where the voters are.

He said he would ensure that the people of Southern Province are sensitised about the evils of the pact between Mr Sata and Mr Hichilema.

He said most of the people who formed the UPND were from the MMD and it is only proper that they return to the ruling party.

Meanwhile, Mr Kunda has also cautioned the people in flood prone areas in Southern Province to be ready to move as the rainy season has started.

He said Government has distributed the farming inputs for the 2009/2010 farming season in good time.

And Mr Kunda has castigated some media houses for allegedly promoting anarchy by their failure to observe professional ethics.

He said while Government is pleading with the media to come up with a private members bill in Parliament for self regulation, it is important that media houses and professionals know that Government will table its own bill if they failed to do so.

And Mr Kunda said Government is not eager to regulate the media but that some named media houses have been propagating insults and anarchy in the country.

“Government is promoting community radio stations because they are supposed to propagate development in communities in which they operate. Some private newspapers that have been promoting anarchy are insulting Government and President Banda all the time.

This we believe is being unprofessional and Government would want to regulate things like training and the observance of ethics,” Mr Kunda said.
He said during a live programme on Sky FM Radio in Monze.

He said Government has a lot of statutory instruments which it can use to impose sanctions on media houses that are allegedly promoting anarchy.

MMD national chairman, Michael Mabenga has advised former Vice-President Enoch Kavindele to stop commenting on issues related to the ruling party because he ceased to be a member of the MMD a long time ago.

Mr Mabenga said Mr Kavindele is not the right person to issue retrogressive statements on the MMD because he is not a member of the ruling party.

“Mr Kavindele ceased to be a member in 2006 when he stood against the MMD and lost to the current Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Daniel Kalenga.

So, he is one of those people who are on the streets without a party and want to identify themselves with the ruling party when they are not,” he said.

Mr Mabenga was reacting to Mr Kavindele’s statement that the MMD will find it difficult to win the Solwezi Central parliamentary by-elections.

This was when Mr Kavindele featured on Radio Phoenix’s ‘Face the media’ programme last Thursday.
Mr Mabenga said Mr Kavindele is forcing himself onto the ruling party.

He said Mr Kavindele has not renewed his membership card for many years and that he does not attend any party functions.

“Ask Mr Kavindele, when did he renew his membership card for him to claim that he is a member of the ruling MMD? As far as I know, he does not belong to the MMD,” Mr Mabenga said.

He accused Mr Kavindele of being one of the people promoting confusion in the ruling party.

Mr Mabenga urged members of the public not to listen to Mr Kavindele because all his attacks on the MMD are baseless.

He said the MMD has done enough ground work and will win the Solwezi parliamentary by- election.

“He is saying bad things about the MMD because he is not part of us (ruling party),” Mr Mabenga said.

But Mr Kavindele said he is still a member of the MMD.
“If I am not a member, why did the party allow me to challenge President Banda 11 months ago during the elections of the MMD presidential candidate?” he asked.

Mr Kavindele said some MMD members are scared of him standing at the convention as party president.

“I know very well that they are scared of me challenging President Banda when the party calls for a convention because I will scoop the seat,” he said.
[Zambia Daily Mail]

THE Central Bank says Zambia’s international reserves, now standing at US$ 1.7 billion, are the highest attained in the last 38 years.

Bank of Zambia Governor Caleb Fundanga said international reserves are expected to rise to about five months of import cover by the end of 2009.
Dr Fundanga said this in Lusaka yesterday during a third quarter briefing.

He said international reserves stood at US$1.4 billion before Zambia was hit by the global financial crisis.

“Having adequate reserves is important because if there is any external shock, the reserves can help to stabilise the Kwacha and cover up imports,” he said.
Dr Fundanga said Zambia’s overall balance of payments support position improved to a surplus of US$ 645.5 million in the third quarter.

He attributed Zambia’s balance of payment position to improvement in both the current (exports earnings that rose by 45.7 per cent) and the capital and financial accounts.

Dr Fundanga said capital and financial account surplus had a large increase to US$532 million from US$129.7 million recorded the previous quarter.

He attributed the increase in capital and financial accounts mainly to receipt of special drawing rights of US$627.3 million from the International Monetary Fund and an increase in capital transfers to US$65 million compared to US$41.4 million in the previous quarter.

Dr Fundanga said the gross domestic product (GDP) growth as projected by the Central Statistical Office at 6.3 per cent for this year was primarily driven by increased output in the mining, construction and agricultural sectors.

He said mining is projected to grow by 21 per cent, construction by 15.5 per cent and agriculture by 7.1 percent.

Dr Fundanga said growth in manufacturing was supported by increased output of cement, clear beer, soft drinks and milk by 30.4 per cent, 11 per cent, 15.4 per cent and 14.9 per cent respectively.

During the quarter under review, total output of soft drinks increased by 15.4 per cent to 91.968 hectolitres from 79,654 hectolitres produced the previous year.

BoZ also notes that production of milk increased by 14.9 per cent to 7,923,382 litres from 6,892,785 litres produced in the previous quarter.

He said tourism also registered an increased number of arrivals at the country’s four international airports to 102,918 passengers from 88,066 passengers in the second quarter of 2009.

He further said the number of tourists visiting national parks was 26,720 in the third quarter of 2009, up from 11,440 in the previous quarter.

Dr Fundanga said total investment pledges in the real estate sector stood at US$622.8million, compared to US$567.2 million in the second quarter.

He said when fully executed, the pledges were expected to generate 5,594 jobs.

[Zambia Daily Mail]